The Genesis Project: Recent Episodes
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The Genesis Project podcast contains the Sunday morning messages of The Genesis Project Louisiana. We hope you are encouraged, empowered, and inspired by them!
Why me? It's a question we've all likely wondered. We ask it when life feels unfair. But what if we think about that question differently? What if we look at all the blessings we receive and ask, "Why me?" The Scriptures give us a totally different perspective on the answer to that question.
In a time of chaos and uncertainty, good deeds don't go unnoticed. Often when we think about telling the world the good news of the Kingdom of God, we instantly imagine proclaiming that message to others. While it's no substitute for telling people, good deeds are a tangible way of showing people what the Kingdom we proclaim looks like in practice.
The hardest part of doing good isn't doing good; it's who we're called to do it to. The Apostle Paul wrote that we should "do good to all people", but most of us have someone or several someone's we'd like to keep outside of the all.
This present crisis has highlighted the need for Christians to be clear about what we are here for. The New Testament says we were "created for good works." Doing good is our calling, and it's more important than ever in recent memory to keep that calling at the forefront of our minds.
In a departure from talking about COVID, culture, or a series-related topic, we paused to talk about something that many people would rather avoid: our weakness.
Does God have "friends"? Interestingly enough, the Bible does tell us that God has them! Who are they? And, what makes someone a "friend of God"?
What was the original design for marriage? Is it a contract? Is it for my happiness? Is it supposed to complete me? Or is it far more sacred and meaningful than that...?
What was the original design for raising kids? Not everyone's going to raise them; but a lot of us will. Is there some ultimate goal we should be aiming at? And if we're culture-makers, how do we raise culture-makers...?
What in the world am I here for? This question gets asked in every country, culture, and time in history. What was the original design for us?
This culture is "brand culture." Everyone is looking to live out their own authentic self-identity. To present an image to culture representative of who they are. What image were we made to reflect? What was the original design for our identity?
At The Genesis Project, we're aiming to live a life that makes people wonder about the why behind our what. Find out what A Questionable Life is all about!
Hope. Our world is both filled with it and starved for it. What is the object of your hope?
At The Genesis Project, we believe that every follower of Jesus is sent into the world to demonstrate and proclaim the message of Jesus to the world - at home, at work, and at play. What does that mean?
"In the everyday stuff of our lives." We say that an awful lot at The Genesis Project. We believe that Jesus' teachings apply not just to the "religious" sphere of life, but to and for the everyday.
Rules. We have a love/hate relationship with them. But every relationship we're in has them. The Church is called to be a community of relationships guided by the rule of love. But because of the widespread misunderstanding of that term, we walked through a series of love-based commands from a sample New Testament list focused on the kind of community we're called to be: a Gospel Community.
It's been said that this is the most connected, isolated generation ever. Our first core value is Real Relationships. Driven by the Biblical mandate to love sincerely, and supported by the statistical evidence of widespread loneliness in our culture, there's never been a better time in history to focus on Real Relationships.
"To the least of these..." It's become a cultural phenomenon. This simple line, uttered by Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago has become the reference of choice for why the Church should care for the poor, the sick, and the hurting. In this week's parable, we take a careful look at who Jesus says "the least of these" really are.
In this week's parable, Jesus sets us straight about "rewards in heaven"; who gets them, and why.
No one likes a person who "toots their own horn"; not even God. In this parable, Jesus reveals to us what kind of heart attitude impresses God and earns his approval, and what kind comes up short.
More. It's the culture we live in - we always want more. And sometimes, we actually get it. In this week's parable, Jesus challenges us to rethink the reason that we have in the first place, and what we ought to do with more.
Love. It's a word that means an awful lot of things to us today. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus not only redefines who we're called to love but clarifies what love really is.
Forgiveness. Most of us want it. But giving it can be difficult. Who do we have to forgive? How often? And, is forgiveness solely on us? Jesus' parable of the unmerciful servant challenges us to redefine what we understand about forgiveness.
Fruit. It's what everyone who plants a seed is after. What's the secret ingredient to getting it? Soil. It's all about the soil.
This week's message examines the "Parable of the Sower," sometimes called the "Parable of the Four Soils," and links fruitfulness in a spiritual sense, to our heart prep.
The Kingdom of God. What is it? What's it like? Jesus used vibrant language to describe it as a rapidly advancing, vigorous, unexpectedly potent thing that is shockingly resilient, invasive, and aggressively expanding.
Jesus was a storyteller. But his stories weren't just teaching illustrations. They were a verbal game of hide and seek. What did Jesus have to hide? What do we have to seek?
Can you be good without God? While the question on its surface might seem to have a simple answer: yes...this question forces us to ask an even bigger question: without God, what is "good"?
Utopia. It's a beautiful dream, but whenever anyone has attempted to get us there...it goes badly. Very badly. What gives? Why do we dream of a perfect world if its unattainable?
"All roads lead to God." When it comes to religious beliefs, this is the popular narrative. But, isn't it missing something? After all, history is witness to the belief in literally hundreds of thousands of gods. So...which God?
"It's a miracle!" As often as it's said, it's easy to lose track of what exactly is meant. When we find front row parking at Wal-Mart, or make it early despite bad traffic, we call it "a miracle." No one has trouble believing in those miracles. But aren't, like, supernatural miracles, impossible?
In the 20th century, a scientific discovery with startling implications was made: the universe had a beginning. Of course, for 3,500 years, the book of Genesis had made the exact same claim. Prescient?
"The long term goal of Christianity is to learn to surrender to the will of Someone bigger than us, and to adjust our lives accordingly."
If everything were as it should be, what would it look like? The way you answer this question gives shape to the causes you'll be devoted to in your story.
"Everything in my life would be better if..." All of us have an end to this sentence in mind. But, not all endings are equal.
"Why am I here?" Nearly everyone throughout history and across the globe has asked this question, and the answer to this question is at the core of the story of God.
Everyone gets in fights. Most of us know how to push each other's buttons. But isn't there a better way? Proverbs challenges us to reconsider the natural inclination to escalate a tense situation, and teaches us why and how to diffuse it. But will we do it?
Words. We use them...a lot. Our culture is engaged in a 24-hour a day, 365 day a year conversation about a host of issues. To put it bluntly: we talk too much. Proverbs challenges us in a talkative culture to learn to hold our tongues, restrain our speech, and measure our words.
You ever catch yourself staring? Looking around at everyone else's life, thinking "Must be nice..." Envy, Proverbs says, does terrible things to our inner lives.
Have you ever met someone whose responses to feedback, correction, and direction were defensiveness, anger, and challenge? Have you ever been that person?
Sometimes being out of control feels really good. But it's almost always momentary, and it ignores the aftermath.
Better. It's the life we're aiming for. And better decisions better our lives. Which begs the question: What is the source for the decisions your making? What's your "wisdom well"?
At its core, the scandalous message of Christmas is that God took on flesh to dwell with the ordinary.
Peace on earth? Goodwill to men? They are the perfect holiday greetings, but why do we celebrate a holiday that began with an announcement that doesn't seem to have any similarity with reality?
A series on generosity and gratitude just wouldn't be complete without saying "THANK YOU!" to the volunteers who give their time, talent, and treasure to make The Genesis Project what it is!
Being generous feels wonderful, until it doesn't. How do we deal with the practical reality that sometimes generosity is sacrificial? Or that we don't exactly feel "grateful" for the opportunity to be generous because it hurts?
We live in the wealthiest nation, in the wealthiest generation of all time...and sometimes, we just need to remember that!
Who are you giving thanks for in this season of your life? And, who is giving thanks for you in this season of life? Generous people generate thanksgiving!
Satan. Literally "the accuser". This is perhaps the devil's most infamous title and role. Like a prosecuting attorney in a court of law, the devil accuses us of guilt.
Leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less. And everyone is under the influence of someone. Our enemy the devil is an influencer, whose goal is leading humanity astray.
Every epic story has heroes and villains. God's story is no different, except that in His story, the villain is already defeated.
Temptation. All of us face it, every day of our lives, and the devil is a tempter. But what does that mean? And how much of what we face in life is an enticement from Satan vs. our own desires leading us forward?
A liar and the father of lies. The devil is a deceiver with an agenda, and that agenda? Murder.
The devil. Many believe he's a figment of the human imagination. Even more believe he's the fallen angel Lucifer, now twisted by pride into the horned monster of Milton & Dante. But what does the Bible actually say about the devil? Who does the Bible actually say that he is?
One thing is sure: it calls him our enemy.
The average person is maintaining between 35 and 75 relationships. How does a "holy life" impact those relationships?
"What is my purpose?" It's a question that so many of us ask on a regular basis. What if the answer isn't so much about figuring out what YOU were made for, but emphasizes what WE were made for?
Are Christians really any different than people who aren't? The answer, according to a series of recent polls is..."not so much, except they're hypocrites."
It's a scathing assessment, but one we have to take seriously. We weren't called to live hypocritical lives. We were called to live holy lives. But how do we do that? How do we change that?
Holy. It's a word that conjures up images of impossible moral perfection, or hypocritical self-designations of superiority. Yet the Bible frequently uses this word to refer to God...and perhaps more unsettling, those who belong to Him. How can a person be "holy" if none of us are really all that good? How can someone be "holy" without being "holier than thou"?
We celebrated 4 years of The Genesis Project Slidell & we wrapped up 10=2 with a final message on the 10th commandment!
The truth. It can be a tricky thing in our time. But one thing is abundantly clear in the pages of Scripture: God wants us to handle it responsibly. Whether in a court of law, the court of public opinion, or at the dinner table with family and friends, love speaks the truth.
Theft. It's as much an issue today as it was thousands of years ago. What's the antidote to the driving force behind it?
Adultery. It destroys marriages and it destroys people. But, Jesus took the concept way beyond the obvious acts, and challenged us at the heart level.
This week we look at murder, and the way Jesus challenges us to rethink this commandment, applying it beyond the external, to the internal.
Honor and respect. They're something we feel is earned, and given to those who earn it. In this week's message, we look at the command to honor our parents from a different perspective.
Rest. We all want it, but we're not always sure how to get there. Interestingly, God knew we'd need it, and laid out a plan for how we can get there.
What makes a name significant? Why would God prohibit the misuse of His name? What does that even mean, and how does love fulfill this commandment?
Dad...you're irreplaceable, and you need to know that! (Plus...we've hooked you up with some GREAT dad jokes!)
Idolatry. It's looking to a created thing to do or provide what only God can. The New Testament takes it beyond bowing down to statues, or following other gods, and even implies that in our modern world, we're still capable of it.
"You shall have no other gods before me." To our culture, it's kind of a "duh" statement. In Jesus' day it was the same. The Jews, most Americans, we have this as a default position. But Jesus challenges His own culture and ours to look at it in a new and deeper way.
2 Commandments - Love God, and love others. Jesus said that they summarize everything else that God commanded. But how does love fulfill the commandments? Not in theory. Not in feeling. In action? The age old question is: "what does God desire of us?"
And that's exactly what this series is about.
Mom. You are one of the most important people in the world. It might not always feel that way, but it's true. This message is a reminder of the calling, the burden, and the blessing of motherhood.
Jesus. Osiris. Mithras. Dionysius. Attis. What do they all have in common? According to some in our culture, they are all members of a category of gods who share one theme: dying and rising again.
Is that all there is to the Jesus story? Is it simply an ancient legend repackaged in Jewish clothing? Is it the retelling of a common myth? Or is it more?
The empty tomb. Without it, there's much ado about nothing. Because of it, a rumor made its way around the ancient world - and even some quarters today - that Jesus' disciples stole the body so that they could declare Jesus the Risen Lord. Is it that simple? Is that all there is to the resurrection?
Can we really be sure that Jesus of Nazareth died of crucifixion in the first century? What if he somehow survived? Is there any need to investigate a resurrection if he did?
Is it really possible to examine "evidence" for a resurrection? Yes! But first we have to address two of the biggest barriers for fair-minded people - a misunderstanding of faith, and a bias against the supernatural.
He. Is. Risen. 2,000 years and that message declares the most important event in human history.
Why does the Church exist? What's it here for? What's it supposed to do? We dialogue about the mission of the Church given to it by Jesus before His ascension.
Church. Our culture sees it as an organization, a building, a hierarchy. But that's not what it is at all. The Church is a people, who, throughout all of time, and all of the world, have experienced a supernatural transformation of heart and mind. As a result, they have become one global, historical family: the community of God's people.
All of us are looking for solutions in life. At a broad level, we're looking for solutions to the issues of human evil in our world. How can we be saved from it? When Jesus waded into the human story, He presented Himself as the solution we're looking for.
There's no doubt that the last century made us witness to the vast depths of human evil on a global scale. It's equally true that most of us have encountered it on a personal level. What is the cause of and answer to human evil?
Jesus is the central piece of the Christian meganarrative, but He's also the single most misunderstood cultural icon and sometimes, the Church. From pre-existent Word, to God in the flesh, to glorified One, we explore some of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith in this message.
God. He's at the center of the Christian faith. But who is He? What is He like? Can we really answer these questions with any certainty?
What we believe about life, impacts what we believe in life, and affects how we live life. That's the power of story. This is a series about how story forms beliefs, and beliefs play out in our everyday lives.
Expectations get failed all the time. We've all experienced that painful reality. But what about when we fail the expectations of others? What do we do with that?
When life strings together a series of decidedly negative and unexpected occurrences...it's easy to begin struggling with a sense of defeat. In this message we dialogue about the one thing we need to keep in mind whenever we're facing defeat.
We are all born dreamers, and all of us have in our minds a version of how life is going to turn out. We also encounter the unexpected as we journey through life. And sometimes, our dreams get derailed.
As 2018 dawns on us, we're all living on a timeline that's forever moving forward. This weekend we shared some perspective about how to navigate the "thens", "nows", and "nexts" in the New Year.
In the wrap up to our True Generosity series, we look at the oft-overlooked Christmas narrative of the Gospel of John; and we discover a God who gives us the gift of grace AND truth.
"Peace on earth, goodwill to men." It's the famous angelic announcement of Jesus' birth. But what does it mean? We're just this side of the most war-torn century in all of human history...and it begs the question: exactly what kind of peace did Jesus come to give us?
Christmas is coming, the pressure is on - tis the season for gifts! While culture encourages us to give the gift of unwrappable happiness, God modeled a completely different kind of giving when Jesus was born. He gave us the gift of presence!
As we wrap our series, we focus on 3 myths about love and marriage that have damaging effects on our view of how to do relationships well.
Sometimes we need expert advice. Dr. Minton offered that and more this weekend as he answered questions about marriage at The Genesis Project!
This week in the iMarriage series, we had a Q&A time with Jonathan and Jenny about some of the great things they've been teaching us in the series.
Honoring one another. It seems like a simple assignment, but without intentionality, it simply doesn't happen.
As we launch into the series, Jonathan lays down some ground rules for a healthy, happy, and holy relationship.
"What a person desires is unfailing love." King Solomon penned these words 3,000 years ago, but it may as well have been written by a modern observer. Love is the greatest desire of the human heart, but it is probably the least understood word in the English language. This message includes 4 isn'ts, 1 is, and 1 definition that acts as a tool for evaluating how we're doing at loving others.
We wrap up our series on the Beatitudes in this message focused on the last 5 "blessed are's" of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking, doing what's right, and suffering for it if necessary - none of these things are easy; but those who do them, says Jesus, are #blessed.
The poor in spirit? Those who mourn? The meek? Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness? We wouldn't exactly point to those kinds of people, and use the term "blessed" to describe them.
But Jesus does. What exactly do the phrases mean? What do these traits look like in everyday life? And how are these people blessed?
How would you finish the sentence, "Blessed are the..."? For His culture, and for ours, Jesus' answer comes as a serious surprise.
Ultimately, truth is more than knowledge, or facts, or data. Truth isn't just something that we know, or that we act on; it acts on us. That's one of the fundamental realities of truth - it transforms the way we view the world and how we interact with it. Jesus taught truth that transforms; truth that acts on us if we receive it.
Truth. It's so important. But how do we measure what is true? How do we measure truths that aren't purely physical? Things like morality, and meaning, and purpose? Because we're all evaluating this stuff, and the answers we come up with are more important than we often realize.
"You've got to be true to yourself." It's a cultural mantra for us. But it's hard to be true to something that's constantly being redefined - and there's no doubt that as life changes, we change along with it. Is there a true us? What was Jesus' perspective on being true to ourselves?
Truth. We want it, but we're also suspicious of it. After all, where can we find truth in an era of half-truths, blame, and bold-faced lies? A time when the internet is suspect, the media is suspect, and even the people in our everyday lives are at times less than honest? And really, what is truth?
This weekend, The Genesis Project Slidell turned 3! 3 years of gathering; 3 years of serving; 3 years of connecting with our city; and 3 years of going! Listen as we share our founding stories, what motivates our church family, and where we're headed in 2017-2018!
In the wrap up to our series, we talk about the American Dream, the Kingdom Dream, and the tension that they create in our lives when we ask the question: "Whose dream is getting priority in the everyday stuff of life?"
America is a nation of laws. How many? More than we can even count. But with all of these laws on the books, why is there so much wrongdoing? The Kingdom applies a different approach to the issue: a changed heart, and a single, yet infinite law.
We live in an age where much is made of the great brotherhood of humanity. Jesus talked about brotherhood as well, and His prayer for Christians was that we'd be "one." What does that mean? And how do we do it?
Bravery. It's what we hail every time we sing the national anthem and remember the many selfless acts of heroism throughout our history. God also calls men and women to bravery; a humble, powerful, immoveable bravery. Kingdom bravery.
If any single value defines America, it's freedom. But we're a long way from 1776, and the definition for that term has changed. Jesus taught about freedom too, but it's freedom on a whole different level. And if we take Him seriously, it might just create tension within us - tension between Christ and the country of our birth.
Can we still believe the Bible? That's the question that started this entire series. We've talked about so much. Check out the wrap up!
The Bible tells so many stories, but do any of them have the backing of history? After all, not every piece of literature is based on historical events, right? We take a brief survey of Biblical archaeology in this message!
"We can't take the Bible literally, can we?" It's one of the big questions our culture has about the Bible. We talk about four factors that are critical to answering that question.
Who got to decide what books are in the Bible, and why? That's a perfectly legitimate question! And really, it's a question of 'canon.' This week we talked about the 'who' and the 'why' of putting the Bible together. If you've wondered about that...this is the message for you!
The Bible. It's the number one best-selling book of all time, along with the most widely distributed book in the world. And it's viewed with increasing distrust and even hostility. How did we get this book in the first place? How do we know that we're even reading an accurate version of the original texts? Has it been changed? These questions and more are explored in this new series.
Sometimes life feels like it's a cycle on repeat. Every day is the same day. Again...and again...and again. It's easy to wonder if there isn't more to life than that...because there's gotta be more to life than that, right?
Everyone at some point in their life will be wronged by others. And when it happens, the pain can cause us to feel like we can never move forward.
One of the most powerful limiting narratives that we tell ourselves is "If you'd been dealt the hand that I've been dealt, then you wouldn't ___________." We can fill in the blank with hundreds of possible answers. But what if life is less about the hand you've been dealt, and more about what you do with the cards? Because if God's in the game, everything changes.
All of us are natural born story-tellers, and stories have incredible power to shape our view of life and how we engage it. But more than the narratives we tell others, the narratives that we tell ourselves have the greatest impact on our lives. What narratives are you telling yourself about life? Who gets to speak into those narratives? And are you inviting God to speak into them?
When Jesus doesn't do what we think Jesus should do, we have a LOT in common with one of His closest friends and followers, Peter. 2,000 years ago, the events of this week through him into total confusion as Jesus stepped outside of the bounds of what Peter thought He would and should do.
One of the number one questions we get asked is "What is The Genesis Project?" Unlike most Christ-centered communities, our name omits the word "church." And that is totally by design! Our name is an opportunity to tell a Gospel story. Maybe you've been asked what it means too? Well here's the answer!
This weekend we took the time to reflect on where we came from, where we're at, and where we want to be. Check out Our Story!
Sex can be treated like such a taboo subject in church settings. But that's not how the Bible treats it. Within the pages of Scripture, sex is seen as a good thing! But, it's also intended for a particular context. And culture is replete with examples for why that context is best.
Alcohol is on of those subjects that ignites a firestorm of controversy among Christians. But what does the Bible say about alcohol? Where has God placed the boundary on it? And why?
In the richest nation, and the richest generation that has ever existed on our planet, it's so easy to get caught in the trap of seeing money as the end all, be all answer to life's questions, challenges, and troubles. But God's laid down a boundary for humanity in the New Testament that could be written out like this: Almighty > Dollar.
Have you ever experienced "bad religion"? Something that was ultimately self-serving, angry, and judgmental without context? This week Jonathan Johnson talked to us about the boundaries God's laid down to protect us from becoming something we'd hate!
America is angrier these days than ever. Anger gives us the sense that we're powerful, and in control...but in reality, anger strips us of control over the one thing in life that actually have any power over: ourselves. What boundaries has God placed on our anger? And why has He put them there?
We all have a love/hate relationship with rules. We want rules for our protection, but we also want unlimited freedoms at the same time; and somewhere deep down we know that's impossible! The thing about boundaries is that they're usually erected to keep us from unintended consequences.
Jesus said that one standard above them all would tell the culture we live in that we are His disciples: if we love one another. This message is about re-capturing the sense that this above all other things marks us as Jesus-followers.
"Those words." They seem like the only thing Christians care about when it comes to language. But did Jesus tell us to censor culture's use of colorful language? Not so much... This message is all about examining a broader ethic for OUR language.
Sometimes Christians are quick to tell other people about the things in their lives that need to change. But how well do we take our own advice? Are people who interact with us seeing the results of our faith as it impacts our ability to own our wrongs, make them right, and turn away from them? Do they see us changing our minds?
Consistency between what we believe and what we do about what we believe are so important to avoiding the double standard of our faith.
The ultimate theme of the Christmas season is that hope is here. Jesus inspired hope in the otherwise hopeless. And that hope is what gives us reasons to sing!
Worship is about creating an environment where we can encounter God. It's about stripping away our preoccupations and changing the focus.
Christmas is the story of incarnation - the taking on of flesh. That God became like one of us. That He stepped into our world. That the King of the Universe became the Humble King.
God is so mysterious, or so we say. After all, He's an invisible, intangible being...so mysterious feels like the right word to use in describing someone like that. And we all love a good mystery, right?
Faith. It's one of those words that gets thrown around a lot. And it's one of those words that isn't always looked on so favorably. Is it just religious wishful thinking? Is it just a cherished belief that we hold to against all evidence to the contrary?
The Old Testament is seen by many as proof positive of the harsh nature of God. But is that really true? Is the Old Testament the story of a menacing being with ultimate power, or is there more to the story? Is it really as scary as we think?
Church. In our culture it's come to mean a house of worship. But it wasn't always this way. Church used to refer to a passionate community of Jesus-followers. What if we made that the focus?
Is the Gospel still a relevant message for culture in the 21st century, in America, and in Slidell in particular?
The wrap-up to our Building Blocks series is about responding to the incredible things that God has done for you, in His presence.
Being a good listener is critical to any relationship. That's why learning to listen for God's voice is such an important building block in the foundation of our faith.
How do we engage with the Bible as a healthy part of our relationship with Jesus? How does God speak through Scripture? That's the focus of this message!
Prayer is a basic building block in a healthy relationship with Jesus. But, many times we approach prayer from the perspective of what God can give us, and not who He can make us.
It's one of the most commonly stated cliche's of the Christian faith: "It's not a religion, it's a relationship." But what does that mean? What does a relationship with Jesus look like, and how do we enter into one? And how do we answer that question without more cliche?
When we say that every Jesus-follower is a full-time minister...people wonder what in the world we're talking about! Find out in this final message of the series.
"Everyday Disciples" are the core of our vision at The Genesis Project Slidell. But what is a "disciple"? And what does it mean to be an everyday version of that?
The central piece of our vision revolves around a single mantra, "Bridging The Gap." But what are the gaps between culture and Chrtist? Find out in this message!
The Genesis Project has been in Slidell for 2 years. We took some time to reflect on where we came from, and where we're going!
The News. For a lot of us...we get the sense that all we're getting is the overwhelming bad news. So much is happening in our world. And it can create a sense of paralyzing fear, or it can cause a desensitized numbness. But the good news is...
Love is all good when we're talking about people who are going to love us back...but what about love for people who hate us, deride us, or worse? Jesus commanded His followers to love their enemies. But...how?
One of the most well-known commands of Jesus is to "love one another." What's the context of the command? And what does it mean practically for Jesus-followers to love one another?
Loving our neighbors as ourselves is a foundational teaching of the Christian faith...but it's also an area that we wrestle so much to put into practice. What does it look like to step beyond sentiment, or agreement with our neighbors, and to actually love them the way that we love ourselves?
When asked by the people of His time what the most important commandment God had ever given was: Jesus answered without hesitation that it was to love God with all of our hearts, souls, and strength. But what does that mean? How do we do it?
To Love or Not to Love is a series focused on the practical implications of Jesus' teachings about loving God and loving people. Even though we know that He commanded His followers to do so...we still struggle so much to actually do it. Why? And what is preventing us from obeying His commands?
We call God "our Father." And perhaps no other day brings into sharp relief the way that we perceive the meaning of this term "father" than "Father's Day." But what kind of Father is God? And as we celebrate fatherhood, do we see it the right way?
Hearing the voice of God just sounds so mysterious, right? But what does it mean? What is it like? How do we engage with His voice in our lives? That's the focus of this message.
Sharing the Gospel with people is an important part of our passion for the city. But how do we do it? This message is focused on 3 active elements of sharing with others in the context of conservation.
Part of being FOR the city is being WITH the people of your city. And for a life on mission, intentionality is key.
At The Genesis Project, we are on a mission for our city. We want to see them find a permanent sense of place and purpose...one that can only be found in the God who created us. But, we believe that it's so important to get the motivation for this mission right; and the motivation is a deep sense of compassion which lines up with the heart of God.
Moms are a portrait of God in so many ways. But moms also live such self-sacrificing lives that it can feel as though they've surrendered their significance in becoming mothers. But with God, surrender is what makes us significant.
Messiah. It's a term that we've come to associate with Jesus of Nazareth. But did He associate it with Himself? And what exactly does it mean? And is there any proof that Jesus is the Messiah?
Jesus never refers to himself as "Savior" in the Gospels. But we are all pretty accustomed to calling him that. Why? What does it mean that Jesus is "Savior"? And does it matter in the everyday, or only one day when we all stand before God? What's the deal?
Jesus' favorite self-descriptive term was "Son of Man." Lots of people see it as a title identifying him with humanity. Like an opposite to the title Son of God. Is that what it means? Who is the Son of Man? Is there something deeper there?
Jesus was called, and called himself the "Son of God." But what does that mean? Were there others who went by that title? Is there any legitimate proof that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God?
Man? Myth? Messiah? Everyone has an opinion. But who did Jesus of Nazareth claim to be? And what evidence do we have to support His claims?
This series is focused on these questions! Join us Sundays @ 9:30am as we chat through them!
It's the ultimate comeback story...and it's all true. Everything. The crucifixion. The resurrection. And the implications. Easter Sunday changes everything!
This week's message explores our identity as "temporary residents" and foreigners. It's about a different mindset, a different battle, a different lifestyle, and a different home that we have come to adopt and be adopted into through our relationship with Jesus.
This message focuses on one aspect of our restored identity. In the Church today, we have an artificial line between the "clergy" [professional ministers] and the "laity" [everyday Jesus-followers]. But Jesus abolished that line, and every Jesus-follower is now a minister with a role to play in the ever-unfolding Story of God.
Redemption is such a universal human longing. But ask 1,000 people what would redeem them [make everything better in their life and their world] and the answers would be as varied as the people you're asking. In the Story of God, redemption happens through a new birth that Jesus terms "being born again." It's a critical and pivotal piece of our identity as Jesus-followers - that we are a people who are "born again." Check out what that means!
The first message of the series sets us up to understand the primary places we tend to derive our identities from. And it's focused on the four elements of the human story that we need to framework inside of God's Story in order to see our true identity.
In an unexpected change of direction, God of the Ordinary is a series focused on the everyday, ordinary practices of faith that lead to an extraordinary life! The heart behind the series is to remind us, or introduce us for the first time, to what being a Jesus-follower means for us in the midst of the everyday rhythms of life.
In an unexpected change of direction, God of the Ordinary is a series focused on the everyday, ordinary practices of faith that lead to an extraordinary life! The heart behind the series is to remind us, or introduce us for the first time, to what being a Jesus-follower means for us in the midst of the everyday rhythms of life.
In an unexpected change of direction, God of the Ordinary is a series focused on the everyday, ordinary practices of faith that lead to an extraordinary life! The heart behind the series is to remind us, or introduce us for the first time, to what being a Jesus-follower means for us in the midst of the everyday rhythms of life.
In an unexpected change of direction, God of the Ordinary is a series focused on the everyday, ordinary practices of faith that lead to an extraordinary life! The heart behind the series is to remind us, or introduce us for the first time, to what being a Jesus-follower means for us in the midst of the everyday rhythms of life.
In an unexpected change of direction, God of the Ordinary is a series focused on the everyday, ordinary practices of faith that lead to an extraordinary life! The heart behind the series is to remind us, or introduce us for the first time, to what being a Jesus-follower means for us in the midst of the everyday rhythms of life.
With the holidays growing ever closer, we are excited about our new series, "Shiny Happy People"! The focus of the series is contentment; a theme that is SO appropriate for the holidays! And to help with that theme, we'll be looking @ Paul's letter to the Philippians in the New Testament!
With the holidays growing ever closer, we are excited about our new series, "Shiny Happy People"! The focus of the series is contentment; a theme that is SO appropriate for the holidays! And to help with that theme, we'll be looking @ Paul's letter to the Philippians in the New Testament!
With the holidays growing ever closer, we are excited about our new series, "Shiny Happy People"! The focus of the series is contentment; a theme that is SO appropriate for the holidays! And to help with that theme, we'll be looking @ Paul's letter to the Philippians in the New Testament!
With the holidays growing ever closer, we are excited about our new series, "Shiny Happy People"! The focus of the series is contentment; a theme that is SO appropriate for the holidays! And to help with that theme, we'll be looking @ Paul's letter to the Philippians in the New Testament!
Jesus' most confrontational words were reserved for the religious elite of His day: the Pharisees and Sadducees. And the one charge that He levied against them most often was that of hypocrisy. Hypocrites is a series that takes a look at what exactly Jesus accused these men of being, and how we can avoid following in their footsteps today.
Today is Orphan Sunday, so we're taking a break from our Hypocrites series this weekend to talk about something that is so important to the heart of God - Orphan care! We have Cassy & Steve DiLeo of Jonathan's Impact Orphan Ministries joining us to share about how they are caring for the fatherless in Zimbabwe, Africa.
Jesus' most confrontational words were reserved for the religious elite of His day: the Pharisees and Sadducees. And the one charge that He levied against them most often was that of hypocrisy. Hypocrites is a series that takes a look at what exactly Jesus accused these men of being, and how we can avoid following in their footsteps today.
Jesus' most confrontational words were reserved for the religious elite of His day: the Pharisees and Sadducees. And the one charge that He levied against them most often was that of hypocrisy. Hypocrites is a series that takes a look at what exactly Jesus accused these men of being, and how we can avoid following in their footsteps today.
Jesus' most confrontational words were reserved for the religious elite of His day: the Pharisees and Sadducees. And the one charge that He levied against them most often was that of hypocrisy. Hypocrites is a series that takes a look at what exactly Jesus accused these men of being, and how we can avoid following in their footsteps today.
We live in the most affluent country in the most affluent generation ever. So, we have an abundance of stuff! This series is focused on teaching us the principles of "Biblical Stewardship," starting with a right view of our relationship with our stuff: we're managers, not owners!
We live in the most affluent country in the most affluent generation ever. So, we have an abundance of stuff! This series is focused on teaching us the principles of "Biblical Stewardship," starting with a right view of our relationship with our stuff: we're managers, not owners!
We live in the most affluent country in the most affluent generation ever. So, we have an abundance of stuff! This series is focused on teaching us the principles of "Biblical Stewardship," starting with a right view of our relationship with our stuff: we're managers, not owners!
We live in the most affluent country in the most affluent generation ever. So, we have an abundance of stuff! This series is focused on teaching us the principles of "Biblical Stewardship," starting with a right view of our relationship with our stuff: we're managers, not owners!
We live in the most affluent country in the most affluent generation ever. So, we have an abundance of stuff! This series is focused on teaching us the principles of "Biblical Stewardship," starting with a right view of our relationship with our stuff: we're managers, not owners!
One of the great truths of modern life is that it's segmented. We compartmentalize our lives into portions untouched by the whole. The Gospel is something which impacts all of life...not just the religious compartment. God wants our relationship with Him to flow over into our work lives, home lives, and recreational lives!
One of the great truths of modern life is that it's segmented. We compartmentalize our lives into portions untouched by the whole. The Gospel is something which impacts all of life...not just the religious compartment. God wants our relationship with Him to flow over into our work lives, home lives, and recreational lives!
BELLS is a series focused on instilling a common set of compelling values into the hearts and minds of our Jesus-following community, using the concept of B.E.L.L.S. (Bless; Eat; Listen; Learn; and Sent); and on learning to see ourselves as missionaries called to live a questionable life through practical habits in the everyday of life.
BELLS is a series focused on instilling a common set of compelling values into the hearts and minds of our Jesus-following community, using the concept of B.E.L.L.S. (Bless; Eat; Listen; Learn; and Sent); and on learning to see ourselves as missionaries called to live a questionable life through practical habits in the everyday of life.
BELLS is a series focused on instilling a common set of compelling values into the hearts and minds of our Jesus-following community, using the concept of B.E.L.L.S. (Bless; Eat; Listen; Learn; and Sent); and on learning to see ourselves as missionaries called to live a questionable life through practical habits in the everyday of life.
BELLS is a series focused on instilling a common set of compelling values into the hearts and minds of our Jesus-following community, using the concept of B.E.L.L.S. (Bless; Eat; Listen; Learn; and Sent); and on learning to see ourselves as missionaries called to live a questionable life through practical habits in the everyday of life.
BELLS is a series focused on instilling a common set of compelling values into the hearts and minds of our Jesus-following community, using the concept of B.E.L.L.S. (Bless; Eat; Listen; Learn; and Sent); and on learning to see ourselves as missionaries called to live a questionable life through practical habits in the everyday of life.
BELLS is a series focused on instilling a common set of compelling values into the hearts and minds of our Jesus-following community, using the concept of B.E.L.L.S. (Bless; Eat; Listen; Learn; and Sent); and on learning to see ourselves as missionaries called to live a questionable life through practical habits in the everyday of life.